


Building a Boat

by soprano_buddy15



Series: Peace After Battle [2]
Category: The Last Kingdom, The Last Kingdom (TV)
Genre: F/M, Finan's relationship with Aethelstan, Memories, Post Season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24074275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soprano_buddy15/pseuds/soprano_buddy15
Summary: SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4Uhtred asks Finan to do something for him, and he is unsure if he can deliver.
Relationships: Eadith/Finan (The Last Kingdom), Ealhswith/Sihtric (The Last Kingdom)
Series: Peace After Battle [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736485
Comments: 15
Kudos: 66





	Building a Boat

**Author's Note:**

> I am back!
> 
> This has been bouncing around in my head for a couple days now and I could not get it out! Their relationship was so cute in the show and I hope that I was able to transfer it to the page. 
> 
> As always, constructive comments are always welcome! Just don't be rude, because nobody wants that.

“You have to stop that, little man.” Finan groaned as Aethelstan covered his eyes yet again while sitting Finan’s shoulders. Grabbing his hands, Finan leaned back, and grinned as the young boy shrieked with laughter at almost falling off Finan’s back. Finan straightened out, and Aethelstan’s giggling was becoming more and more breathless.

“You are going to pass out,” he knelt down, and Aethelstan slid off of his back. Aethelstan ran off, looking back at Finan as if he expected to follow him. “Jesus, I am too old for this.” Finan muttered.

Uhtred led out a snort of laughter. They were walking in the barley fields behind Coccham’s walls. Sihtric was ahead with his family, letting his son run around as he carried his young daughter in his arms. Osferth and Eadith had stayed back at the hall to talk, not fancying a walk. “He has you wrapped around his little finger,” Uhtred said. 

“Ay, that he does.” Smiling, Finan watched as Aethelstan and Young Sihtric started running in circles around Ealhswith and Sihtric. His face was bright, and the obvious joy that Aethelstan was experiencing was felt by everyone.

Uhtred was silent for a moment, and Finan knew from his face that he was thinking of something. “What is it?” He stopped walking, and turned to face his friend. “You are planning somethin’.”

Uhtred shrugged. “My relationship with the boy is good, but we are not as close as I believe Edward would want us to be.” Uhtred kept walking, and Finan hurried to keep up with him.

“I sense a ‘but.’”

He shrugged again, and Finan felt a slight wave of irritation wash over him. “He adores you, Finan,” he said simply. “I wonder if you would like to care for him.”

That stopped Finan dead in his tracks. “You want me to care for him,” he repeated. “As in, feed and teach and parent.”

“Of course,” Uhtred stopped to examine some of the barley, and finding it to his satisfaction, continued on, letting Finan scramble behind him. “Eadith already has a relationship with the boy and and he trusts you both.”

“Slow down, lord.” Finan implored. “I… can’t. Sihtric’s the fatherly one. I’ve just barely found myself a woman. Besides, did Edward not give you the task of teaching him everything?”

“I have an estate to run, Finan. Sihtric has his own family. I think it could be good for you.” At Finan’s protesting, he continued. “Aethelstan needs a family, someone he can trust and love. He has missed much in his life.”

“Uhtred, I do care for him,” he explained. “But I do not know if I can do this.”

Uhtred placed his hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “I’m not asking you to train him to be a king, Finan.” He said. “I will teach him about Northumbria and of being a Dane. Finan, I’m asking you to love him, to give him a childhood instead of the burden of a kingdom.” Smiling softly, Uhtred continued on to walk with Sihtric, talking and laughing with the couple. 

This… this was too much. Of course, Finan adored the young boy, but to teach him? Influence him? How on this good earth did Uhtred come to the conclusion that he would be responsible enough to care for an aetheling? He had made… terrible decisions in his past life, leading to the loss of his family in Irland and two years on a slave ship. He had spent the last ten years running around the four kingdoms with Uhtred, never settling down, craving the adventure and brotherhood with Uhtred, Sihtric, and Osferth. He never wanted that to change.

But even then, Finan began to realize that their relationship had already started to shift. Uhtred had Gisela and his children… Sihtric fell in love with Ealhswith, and he as well now has two children. Osferth… was still figuring things out. For years now they had moved in different directions, but still kept their bond as strong as ever. 

“Finan?” 

He shook his head as he was shocked out of his thoughts. Uhtred, Sihtric, Ealhswith, and Young Sihtric had moved on and were about to turn the corner of the other sides of Coccham’s walls. Looking down, he noticed Aethelstan look at him concernedly. “Are you alright?” He asked, furrowing his brow. 

“Um, yeah,” Finan finally managed to get out. “I’ve just been… thinking.”

“About what?” Aethelstan took Finan’s hand and started leading him towards where the others were.

“Oh, you know.” An idea came into his mind. “Just how I’m gonna get you back for always blindin’ me!” Finan lunged towards Aethelstan, grabbing the boy around his middle and tickling him, wincing as Aethelstan’s feet kicked at his shins. Aethelstan squirmed, his face bright with laughter as he fought against Finan’s strong hold. Deciding Aethelstan had suffered enough, Finan finally let the boy go and he lay between the rows of barley, panting.

He lay there for a while before Finan realized that the sun was getting low. “Alright, Aethelstan, it’s time to get back.” He stooped and tried to lift him to his feet by his arms, but Aethelstan let himself stay limp. Rolling his eyes, Finan started walking, dragging the giggling boy beside him.

“Okay, okay, I’ll walk!” Aethelstan finally gave in, and Finan groaned at the dirt and mud caking Aethelstans modest monk clothing. He did not have another set of clothes, although Uhtred had ordered some to be brought to them. 

“Uhtred is going to send me out of his hall when he sees what a state I let you get in,” Finan complained, but he was smiling and draped his arm over the shoulder of the young boy. But even as they walked back through the gates and the laundry woman yelled at him for all of the work she had to do now, Finan kept thinking about what Uhtred said to him.

As much as he enjoyed spending time with Aethelstan, it was refreshing to go and sit by the river by himself. He had a spot, known only to him and Eadith, that was hidden from view from every angle but the river. 

He had not slept well last night, the words that Uhtred had said to him spinning in circles in his mind. He knew he loved Aethelstan, there was no doubt about that, but he struggled with the idea of influencing him. Sighing in frustration, he grasped his cross and bit his lip. 

“I figured I’d find you here.”

Spinning around, he relaxed when he saw it was only Eadith. She only had half of her fiery red hair pinned up, and the rest floated gently around her shoulders in the soft breeze. He turned back around and felt Eadith settle down beside him. “Talk to me.”

Finan shook his head, and sighed in frustration. Ripping a handful of grass from the earth, he began tearing the blades apart. “Uhtred asked something of me, and I do not know if I can deliver.” He said after a while. He could tell she wanted to ask what it was, so he continued. “He wants me to care for Aethelstan.”

“Don’t you already do that?”

“Not in the way he expects,” he scoffed. “I care about him, but Uhtred wants me to care for him. Teach him, probably even live with him.” He stood up and wiped his dirty hands on his pants, ignoring Eadith’s disapproving look. 

____“So what are you going to do?” She leaned back on her hand and studied him as he paced back and forth. Their little haven was really meant for sitting, or lying down, and so he could only take two steps in either direction before turning around._ _ _ _

____“I can’t say no, can I? I’m sworn to him.”_ _ _ _

____“Finan, you have never said no to Uhtred.” Eadith voice was quiet. “In ten years of knowing him and serving him, have you ever refused to do as he asked?”_ _ _ _

____Finan scoffed. “Of course not.” The idea was outrageous. Sure, Uhtred had some mad ideas but they always turned out. Well, nearly._ _ _ _

____“Then you are allowed to say no.”_ _ _ _

____He stopped his pacing and stared at her. Sensing that he had no idea what to say, she sighed. “Finan, he trusts you and values your friendship. As you have said many times before, you are more than brothers. That bond is precious.” She settled back again. “But sometimes brothers have to refuse each other.”_ _ _ _

____“But, I’m sworn to him-“_ _ _ _

____“Did he actually command you? Or ask you?”_ _ _ _

____Taken aback, Finan thought. _I think it could be good for you _, Uhtred had said to him. “I-he asked me.”___ _ __

______Eadith shrugged, obviously pleased with herself. “Then say no.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______His brain continued to war with itself. Running his hands through his hair, he tugged on the beads (courtesy of Sihtric) that Stiorra had braided into his hair when he was napping at Saltwic. Biting his lip, he continued to pace before finding the words. “The thing is,” he said slowly. “I am not entirely sure I want to say no.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He saw Eadith raise her eyebrows, but she didn’t object outrightly. “Please say something,” he said, flopping on his back beside her._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What do you want me to say?” She asked, pulling his arm out to the side and resting her head on it as she curled up beside him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Something. Anything.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She played with his necklace as she thought. “I think it’s a good idea.” She said finally._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do!” She sat up and faced him. He could see that she was serious. “You asked me to say something, so I said what I think.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“How on earth good this possibly be a good idea?” Finan could hardly believe that she had gone from saying “Say no to Uhtred” to “Yes, you should raise this child.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Finan, you loved this boy from the moment you met him. I remember walking to meet the Lady Aethelflaed with the Lady Aelfwynn. It was just after we had encountered the sickness.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Finan shuddered as he remembered the clammy feeling that had come upon him when he saw those poor souls, and how terrified he had been. Eadith curled back into him and he began to calm._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We were in the glade. I was sitting behind the waterfall with Aelfwynn, and Osferth and I were making sure she was okay. You and Aethelstan had made a boat.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Finan’s heart warmed as the memory came back to him. Aethelstan had placed it into the stream, and Finan remembered how the boy had crouched down low to blow on the leaf. “That was a good boat,” he said, and Eadith laughed._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It was the first time I had really noticed you, and all I could see was the care you held for the boy. The patience you had as you built the boat, as you helped him up the steep hills, as you and Sihtric protected him from my brother.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He squeezed her closer to him as she tensed at the mention of her brother. “He’s been through a lot,” he realized._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Exactly, Finan. Uhtred doesn’t want you to be perfect. He wants you to be a rock for this boy who has been slipping in sand his whole life.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He let the words strike him, and he came to the conclusion that Eadith was completely right. Aethelstan had never had a male figure in his life, always knowing that he was meant to be kept away, that “he was no one.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He knew that he wanted to care for Aethelstan, wanted to teach him to fight, to lead, to follow. In a single moment, he knew he had to be there for the boy he loved so dearly._ _ _ _ _ _

______Heart full, he kissed Eadith softly. “I am one lucky man,” he said gently, stroking her face. She smiled, and they settled down to watch the trading boats move up and down the river._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
